Shoe-heel.



H. G: KARPEN.

SHOE HEEL.

APPLICATION FILED FEB.15. 1909.

Patented Dec. 20, 1910.

HENRY C. KARPEN, 0F

BROOKLYN, NEW YORK SHOE-HEEL.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patent'ed Decj-go;19104 Application filed February 15, 1909. Serial No. 477,876.

To all whom it may concern; 7

Be it known that I, HENRY CHARLES KAR- PEN, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of Brooklyn, county 9f Kings, and State of New York, have invented certain new and 'useful Improvements in Shoe-Heels, of which the following is'a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part thereof.

My invention relates to shoe heels employing removable tread portions and consists man improved means for securing the removable tread portions in place, the main object of my invention being to facilitate the removability and replacement of such tread portions while insuring their firm attachment in lace except when it is desired that they e removed.

In order that my invention will be fully understood, I will now proceed to describe an embodiment thereof, having reference 'to the accompanying drawings, and will then point out the novel features in claims.

-In the drawings: Figure l is an under side viewof a heel constituting an embodiment of my invention. Fig. 2 is a front end view of the same.

The heel of the shoe comprises a main body portion 15, the lower face 16 of which constitutes in part the tread portion of the heel; This main body portion may be com posed of any suitable material,preferably.

leather or similar material,.and it is provided with a recess 17 around the edge thereof. the said recess running along either side of the heel and at the rear thereof but not along the front portion of the heel. Fitted in the recess 17 is a yielding flenible member 18 which is preferably formed of rubber or rubber composition, and in order that the same may be readilyretained in place the said h el is provided with an overhanging portion at some part thereof, the said overhanging portion being preferably formed by undercutting the recess 17 as at 19. The elastic member 18 is prevented from slipping off rearwardly by means of a hook 20 which is pivoted at 21 to one end of the flexible member; hooked over a pin with which the other end of theflexible member is provided, and intermediate its ends engages the front portion 23 of the body portion 15 of the heel. The natural springiness of the rubber or rubber substitute of which the elastic member 18 is" composed will tend to retainthe hook 20 in place, and to prevent it from accidentally being removed while the shoe is in use. 'The tendency of the heel in use is to spread outward and this will cause the hook to hold more and more securely; while to release the said hook from engagement, it will only be. necessary to compress the end or tially all the elasticity required and will take up such shocks as are ordinarily experienced tendency to slip which. is so noticeable witha heel whose entire tread portion is formed of rubber, is obviated, because the coefiicient of friction between leather and the ordinary surface to be walked upon is very much higher than that between rubber and such. surface, especially under conditions of dampness and moisture.

VVh-at I claim is:

l. A shoe heel comprising a central body portion provided with a recess at the outer edges thereof, and having a part overhanging the said recess, a yielding flexible member located in the said-recess and engaged by the said overhanging part, and a retaining device inovablysecured at one end to the flexible member upon one side thereof. and removably secured at its opposite end to the other side of the said flexible member, the said retaining device engaging the front portion of the heel intermediate its ends.

A shoe heel comprising a main body portion having an undercut recess at the edges thereof, a U-shaped yielding flexible member fitted to the said recess, and a hook pivoted at one end to one of the ends of the said flexible member, and adapted to removably engage the other end of the said flexible member across the front of the heel, substantially as set forth.

3. A shoe heel comprising a main body member having an undercut recess at thewalking with a rigid heel, yet, the

ed es thereof and a U-sha ed rubber nieinbodv ortion of the heel substnntiulh' as set a: a P P 7 ber fitted (-0 the said recess, the said rubber member being provided with pins 21 and 22 at the ends thereof and a hook 2O pivoted upon the pin 21 and adapted to removably Witnesses: engage the pin 22, the intermediate portion D. HOWARD HAYWOOD, being adapted to engage the front of the LYLIAN S ANDREWS, Jr.

forth.-

ENRY K ARDEN. 

